ABSTRACT Title: The effect of regulatory reforms on audit quality in a lax enforcement and high trust environment: A quantitative study on Swedish companies                      Level: Student thesis, final assignment for Master Programme in Business Administration  Author: Julia Owczarek Blom  Supervisor: Asif M Huq  Date: 2023 - May Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the impact of regulatory changes on the consumption of non-audit services and the audit quality among the Swedish publicly listed firms on the Nasdaq Stockholm Stock Exchange. Specifically, the study focuses on whether there is a relationship between the 8th Directive on Statutory Audit and the EU Audit Package on non-audit services and the quality of audits. Furthermore, the study additionally investigates if the Swedish ownership structure has a negative impact on the audit quality among the companies.  Method: The method used in this study is based on a quantitative approach where the final sample that is empirically tested includes 626 Swedish large-, mid-, and small-cap firms listed on the Swedish stock market, Nasdaq OMX Stockholm. Moreover, the data consist of 5517 firm years and annual reports between the years 2001 and 2021.  Result and Conclusions: The result of this study suggests that the implementation of the 8th Directive on Statutory Audits has positively impacted audit quality, although it has not limited the consumption of non-audit services. Furthermore, the study further suggests that the EU Audit Package efficiently increased audit quality among the Swedish firms while, at the same time, decreasing the consumption of NAS. Although both regulations enhanced audit quality, the second regulatory change has been a lot more impactful than the previous one. In addition, the findings of the study suggest that the Swedish ownership structure, consisting of a single or few strong shareholders and companies being majority family owned, has a positive impact on audit quality. Contribution of the thesis: There have not been any studies investigating the impact of the 8th Directive and the EU Audit Package in a Swedish setting, and therefore this study provides insight on the topic. Furthermore, this is one of the first European studies investigating whether a concentrated ownership structure with the majority of firms being family owned has a positive or negative impact on audit quality. Suggestions for future research: For future research, it would be interesting to complement this study through a qualitative method with surveys or interviews to see what kind of NAS is currently most consumed by Swedish companies. Keywords: non-audit services, NAS, non-audit services in Sweden, audit fees, non-audit fees, auditor, audit quality, and auditor independence.

This thesis examines the factors affecting audit and non-audit fees and the effects of the joint provision of audit and non-audit services on auditing. The first essay focuses on environmental factors. Using data for Swedish listed companies over a six year span, including pre-crisis, crisis and post-crisis periods, the essay investigates whether changing economic conditions affect the level of fees paid for audit and non-audit services. The finding suggests that auditors increase their risk premium for auditing during a financial crisis andtend to charge higher audit fees as a response to lower risk levels in the post-crisis period. On the other hand, a significant reduction in non-audit fees suggests that companies are less willing to invest in consulting services during thecrisis and post-crisis periods. The second essay also studies the effects of environmental factors on audit pricing. Using data for financial institutions in 24 European countries, the study examines whether the level of effort spent on the evaluation of fair values is higher for more uncertain fair values.The result suggests that an increasing level of complexity and risk requires greater audit effort. Furthermore, the results showthat the strength of a country’s institutional setting is positively associated with the effort spent on the evaluation of high uncertainty fair value estimates. The finding implies that auditors spend more effort in stronger regulated countries, possibly due to higher potential litigation costs. The third essay focuses on the factors related to an individual audit partner. Based on the data of publicly listed Swedish companies, it investigates whether partner special competencies are reflected in the prices charged for auditing. The findings show that partner industry expertise and client-specific expertise are associated with higher audit fees. A further finding isthat female partners are considerably under-represented among specialists. However,the under-representation of females among higher qualified partners does not seem to negatively affect their possibilities to earn higher fees. The fourth essay investigates how the joint provision of audit and non-audit services affects perceived knowledge spillover and audit efficiency. The essay makesuse of survey data from a large sample of Swedish auditors and finds that the levels of communication and trust are positively associated with knowledge spillover. The result further suggests that the information gained from the provision of non-audit services can reduce auditors’ effort (time) spent on different audit procedures, thereby increasing audit efficiency.

In this study, I use Section 404(b) of the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act as an exogenous shock to examine the effect of auditors’ assessment of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) on audit fees, cost of debt, and net value of compliance between 2002 and 2010. Using firms themselves as their own control, this study conducts firm-fixed effects analyses to explore the close causal effect of SOX 404(b) on compliance costs (proxied by audit fees), compliance benefit (proxied by cost of debt) and net compliance benefit (proxied by Tobin’s q). Through analyzing how SOX 404(b) affects firms’ compliance cost, compliance benefit, and net compliance benefit, the results suggest that SOX 404(b) decreases firms’ cost of debt, but also imposes compliance costs. Overall, SOX 404(b) increases firm value premium by around 8.63%. The study also examines whether the 2007 reforms have achieved their purpose by comparing audit fees before and after the 2007 reforms.

Research examines audit fee trends for a decade. The research focuses on audit fees of companies in the East Tennessee Area and compares the audit fees of these companies to similar companies based in similar regions of the United States. Possible causes for the fluctuations of audit fees during the decade are also discussed.

This study investigates the effect of CFO gender on auditor turnover, audit fees, and financial reporting timeliness. Since investors value audit outcomes such as auditor turnover, audit fees, and reporting timeliness as important financial signals, differences in the probability of auditor turnovers, the amount of audit fees, and the speed of financial reporting between male CFO firms and female CFO firms can help investors make better informed financial decisions. Additionally, these audit outcome differences between male and female CFOs can also provide insights to executive hiring-decisions and audit budgeting. The results of this study suggest that firms with female CFOs take longer to report financial statements than their male counterparts. However, I do not find evidence for differences in the probability of auditor turnover between female CFO and male CFO firms. I also do not find significant differences in audit fees between firms with female and male CFOs. Overall, this study highlights how gender differences in risk-tolerance and confidence level can affect tangible audit outcomes.

Este estudo investigou se a qualidade de auditoria aumentou após as modificações implementadas pela ISA 700 revisada, que obrigou a inclusão de itens como os Principais Assuntos de Auditoria (PAAs), considerados mais informativos aos usuários das demonstrações contábeis. Além disso, investigou se os custos associados à auditoria tiveram algum impacto devido a essas novas exigências. A verificação dos possíveis impactos na qualidade de auditoria foi realizada com a utilização da proxy de qualidade das demonstrações contábeis obtida por estimação: (i) dos accruals absolutos anormais pelo Modelo de Kothari et al. (2005) derivado do Modelo de Jones (1991); (ii) dos accruals absolutos anormais pelo Modelo de Dechow e Dichev (2002) modificado; (iii) da qualidade dos accruals das receitas de Stubben (2010) e (iv) do percentual de magnitude dos accruals dos fluxos de caixa de Burgstahler et al. (2006). Os PAAs foram considerados, pois poderiam influenciar em maior qualidade de auditoria, sendo mais informativos aos usuários das demonstrações contábeis, podendo inclusive influenciar em uma gestão menos oportunista dos resultados por parte da administração (mensurado por menores accruals), com resultados ainda conflitantes na literatura contábil. A abordagem quantitativa das estimações foi realizada com dados contábeis e de mercado das companhias de capital aberto do Brasil, dos períodos de 2014 a 2017. A amostra consistiu em 1.554 observações para as quais foram coletadas, de forma manual, as informações sobre as firmas de auditoria responsáveis e as quantidades de PAAs divulgados que poderiam afetar a qualidade de auditoria. A maior parte das regressões, utilizando quatro métricas para os accruals não demonstrou evidências de melhoria na qualidade de auditoria após a adoção da ISA 700 revisada. Tais métricas foram analisadas considerando: (i) Painel A, que verificou a mudança na qualidade de auditoria na comparação do período pré e pós adoção da norma; (ii) Painel B, que incluiu o número de PAAs divulgados e (iii) Painel C, que incluiu as mudanças recorrentes de firmas de auditoria. Para a qualidade dos accruals das receitas foi obtido resultado positivo e significante no nível de 5%, indicando uma possível melhora na qualidade de auditoria. Em contrapartida, o poder explicativo diminuiu devido à alta correlação identificada entre a variável de interesse e a variável de controle que indica especificamente a quantidade de PAAs divulgados. Os honorários de auditoria também foram coletados manualmente, sendo que não apresentaram alterações estatisticamente significantes na comparação do período pré e pós adoção dos novos requerimentos. O presente estudo amplia as discussões acadêmicas para o mercado de capitais brasileiro acerca das implicações da inclusão dos PAAs nos relatórios de auditoria, bem como, na análise dos efeitos práticos da aplicação das normas expedidas pelos órgãos reguladores. Além disso, essa evidência pode auxiliar no aprimoramento das normas na busca por maior qualidade de auditoria e das demonstrações contábeis com foco no usuário que almeja redução de assimetria informacional sobre a realidade econômica das companhias. / This study investigated whether audit quality increased after the modifications implemented by the revised ISA 700, which required the inclusion of items such as Key Audit Matter (KAM), which are considered more informative to the users of the financial statements. Moreover, it investigated whether the costs associated with the audit had any impact due to these new requirements. The verification of possible impacts on audit quality was performed using the quality proxy of the financial statements obtained by estimating: (i) the abnormal absolute accruals by Kothari\'s Model (2005) adapted from the Jones\'s Model (1991); (ii) abnormal absolute accruals by Dechow and Dichev\'s Model (2002); (iii) the quality of accruals revenues of Stubben\'s Model (2010) and (iv) the percentage of magnitude of the accruals of cash flows of Burgstahler et al. (2006). The KAM could influence the quality of the audit, being more informative to the users of the financial statements and may even influence the less opportunistic management of the results by the administration measured by smaller accruals, although there are still conflicting results in the accounting literature. The quantitative approach in the estimates was made with accounting and market data for publicly traded companies in Brazil, from 2014 to 2017. The sample consisted of 1,554 observations for which the information about the responsible audit firms and the amounts of KAM disclosed that could affect audit quality were collected manually. Most of the regressions, using four accruals metrics, did not show evidence of improvement in audit quality after the adoption of ISA 700. These metrics were analyzed considering: (i) Panel A, which verified the change in audit quality in the comparison of the period before and after adoption of the standard; (ii) Panel B, which included the number of PAAs disclosed and (iii) Panel C, which included the recurring changes in audit firms. For the quality of revenue accruals, it was obtained a positive and significant result at the 5% level indicating a possible improvement in audit quality, but the explanatory power decreased due to the high correlation identified between the variable of interest and control variable that specifically indicates the amount of KAM disclosed. The audit fees were also manually collected and did not present statistically significant changes in the comparison of the period before and after the adoption of the new requirements. The present study uses the academic discussions for the Brazilian capital market on the implications of the inclusion of KAM in the audit reports, as well as on the practical effects of the application of the norms issued by the regulatory agencies. In addition, this evidence can help improve standards in the quest for higher audit quality and user-focused financial statements that aim to reduce informational asymmetry about the companies\' economic reality

While the effect of auditor industry specialization is well documented in prior literature, it is unclear under what conditions or for which type of firms an auditor's industry expertise matters. I hypothesize that industry specialist auditors will provide higher quality audits in settings where the likelihood of revenue manipulation is greater. I use a firm's manipulation of revenues to measure audit quality because the revenue account is significant, requires in-depth industry specific knowledge, and is subject to frequent manipulation. The results suggest that the impact of industry specialists is concentrated among firms with complex revenue recognition standards, high growth, and low institutional monitoring. Overall, my findings highlight the importance for regulators, auditors, clients, and investors to consider the circumstances in which industry expertise improves the quality of an audit.

Ongoing debates within the professional and academic communities have raised a number of questions specific to the international audit market. This dissertation consists of three related essays that address such issues. First, I examine whether the propensity to switch between auditors of different sizes (i.e., Big 4 versus non-Big 4) changes as adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) becomes a more common phenomenon, arguing that smaller auditors have an opportunity to invest in necessary skills and training needed to enter this market. Findings suggest that clients are relatively less (more) likely to switch to (away from) a Big 4 auditor if the client’s adoption of IFRS occurs in more recent years. In the second essay, I draw on these inferences and test whether the change in audit fees in the year of IFRS adoption changes over time. As the market becomes less concentrated, larger auditors becomes less able to demand a premium for their services. Consistent with my arguments, results suggest that the change in audit service fees declines over time, although this effect seems concentrated among the Big 4. I also find that this effect is partially attributable to a differential effect of the auditors’ experience in pricing audit services related to IFRS based on the period in which adoption occurs. The results of these two essays offer important implications to policy debates on the costs and benefits of IFRS adoption. In the third essay, I differentiate Big 4 auditors into three classifications—Parent firms, Brand Name affiliates, and Local affiliates—and test for differences in audit fee premiums (relative to non-Big 4 auditors) and audit quality. Results suggest that there is significant heterogeneity between the three classifications based on both of these characteristics, which is an important consideration for future research. Overall, this dissertation provides additional insights into a variety of aspects of the global audit market.

I examine three issues related to internal control reporting by non-accelerated filers. Motivation for the three studies comes from the fact that Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) continues to be controversial, as evidenced by the permanent exemption from Section 404(b) of SOX granted to non-accelerated filers by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. The Dodd-Frank Act also requires the SEC to study compliance costs associated with smaller accelerated filers. In the first part of my dissertation, I document that the audit fee premium for non-accelerated filers disclosing a material weakness in internal controls (a) is significantly lower than the corresponding premium for accelerated filers, and (b) declines significantly over time. I also find that in the case of accelerated filers remediating clients pay lower fees compared to clients continuing to report internal control problems; however, such differences are not observed in the case of non-accelerated filers. The second essay focuses on audit report lag. The results indicate that presence of material weaknesses are associated with increased audit report lags, for both accelerated and non-accelerated filers. The results also indicate that the decline in report lag following remediation of problems is greater for accelerated filers than for non-accelerated filers. The third essay examines early warnings (pursuant to Section 302 disclosures) for firms that subsequently disclosed internal control problems in their 404 reports. The analyses indicate that non-accelerated firms with shorter CFO tenure, presence of accounting experts on the audit committee, and more frequent audit committee meetings are more likely to provide prior Section 302 warnings. Overall the results suggest that there are differences in internal control reporting between the accelerated and non-accelerated filers. The results provide empirical grounding for the ongoing debate about internal control reporting by non-accelerated filers.

In my dissertation, I examine factors associated with firms’ submission of auditor selection for shareholder ratification and test if shareholder ratification of auditor selection is associated with the extent of price competition in the audit market (as measured by audit fees) and audit quality (as measured by clients’ earnings management). The dissertation is motivated from the recent recommendation of the U.S. Treasury’s Advisory Committee on Auditing Profession (ACAP) regarding the submission of auditor selection for shareholder ratification votes. The ACAP suggests that this practice may improve the competition in the audit market; yet, there is no empirical evidence supporting the ACAP’s recommendation. My dissertation attempts to fill the gap in the literature on an issue of current interest to the auditing profession. I find that firm size, CEO-Chair duality, insider ownership and institutional ownership are associated with the submission of auditor selection for shareholder ratification vote. However, I do not find an association between audit committee variables and the submission of auditor selection for shareholder ratification vote. The second essay investigates the association between auditor ratification and audit fees. Audit fees are higher in firms that submit auditor selection for shareholder ratification. The finding is not consistent with the increased price competition predicted by the ACAP. The third essay of my dissertation examine whether the submission of auditor selection for shareholder ratification is associated with earnings management. I find that firms that submit auditor selection for shareholder ratification are more likely to have lower level of earnings management. Overall, the results suggest that the same factors that are associated with higher quality monitoring also may be associated with the submission of auditor selection for shareholder ratification vote. The results call into question the one-size-fits-all approach recommended by the ACAP.